Nawab Malik tweeted a picture of Sameer Wankhede and Fletcher Patel.
Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik today continued his tirade against the anti-drugs agency NCB (Narcotics Control Bureau) amid the probe in the drugs-on-cruise case in which Aryan Khan, son of megastar Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested earlier this month, along with several others. He also hit out at the key investigator in the case - Sameer Wankhede.
Alleging the NCB officers are picking their acquaintances as witnesses in some cases, Mr Malik, 62, today shared some photos and told reporters: "The person seen in this picture is Fletcher Patel and his picture is with Jasmin Wankhede, sister of NCB officer Sameer Wankhede."
He also shared another picture of Mr Wankhede, who is investigating the Aryan Khan case, with Mr Patel, and claimed they know each other very well.
"The question is that how can NCB officers make their acquaintances a witness in the case?" the NCP leader asked. He also repeated the allegations in a series of tweets:
Last week, Mr Malik had released some videos, alleging that three people were freed shortly after raids on the luxury cruise off Mumbai coast on October 2. Aryan Khan, along with seven others, was formally arrested the next day.
"After the raid on the cruise, NCB's Sameer Wankhede had said that 8-10 people (including Aryan Khan) were detained. But the truth is that 11 people were detained. Later, three people - Rishabh Sachdeva, Prateek Gaba and Amir Furniturewala - were released," he had said last Saturday, alleging collusion between the BJP and the NCB.
Rishabh Sachdeva is BJP leader's Mohit Kamboj's brother-in-law, he had said.
"Mumbai Police's Anti-Narcotics cell should conduct an independent investigation into this," the minister demanded.
Responding to the Maharashtra minister's remarks, Fletcher Patel questioned how the former is getting confidential documents from state and central agencies.
"Why is he upset? Why is someone being defamed if he is close to Sameer Wankhede?" he told NDTV.
Mr Fletcher said Mr Malik should focus on the department under him. "What have you done in two years? You are hounding those who are doing good work. Sameer Wankhede is working to make Maharashtra drug-free. We should be proud of him, not hound him," he said.
Mr Fletcher said he is a retired soldier and country comes first for him. He said Mr Wankhede sees him as a soldier and knows that he would be pressured. He said he considers Mr Wankhede's sister as his sister.
Mr Fletcher alleged that his name and address have been circulated. "Who will be responsible if something happens to me?"
He also said he will file a defamation complaint.
On Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also slammed the BJP over drugs raids in the state.
"Is it (drugs seizure) only happening in Maharashtra? Drugs worth crores was seized from Mundra Port. While your agencies (NCB) recovering pinch of ganja, our police recovered drugs worth Rs 150 crore. You're interested to catch celebrities and get pictures clicked," the Chief Minister said.
Aryan Khan has been denied bail four times since his arrest on October 3.
KP Gosavi, a man seen with him in a viral selfie at the time of the raids, is a private investigator, Nawab Malik had said, questioning how two outsiders were allowed in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB)'s operation.